What we do

A person experiencing homelessness records a short video, audio, or text message to a loved one, often with the help of a volunteer or caseworker. Then, our network of 1,200+ “Miracle Messengers” attempt to deliver it.

The Problem

“I never realized I was homeless when I lost my housing, only when I lost my family and friends.”

–Adam Reichart, San Francisco

We are in the midst of a national crisis: 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness each year. $40 billion has been spent in the past 10 years combating this problem. And yet, homelessness is skyrocketing (see some of the latest stats from our FAQ).

Part of the problem is that we have been looking at this problem all wrong. When a person becomes homeless, they lose a lot more than just their physical housing. Based on our conversations with over 500 people over the past 3 years, for as many as 1 in 3 people, becoming homeless means losing your social support system and sense of belonging, too.

This loss of a “social home” is overlooked by nearly all service providers, but is a primary concern of people living on the streets. Without social supports, homeless people tend to stay homeless.

Our Solution

“The solution to homelessness isn’t just housing. It’s community.”

–Director Jim Greene, Boston Emergency Shelter Commission

To end homelessness, we must rebuild social homes as much as affordable housing. Miracle Messages reunites the homeless with their loved ones, and the rest of us as their neighbors.

We are launching a national, volunteer-led hotline for people experiencing homelessness to reunite with their loved ones, in addition to our mobile app for volunteers and referral form for partners. Our goal is to end relational poverty on our streets.

When a homeless client (or case worker) calls 1-800-MISS-YOU, they connect with a trained, on-call volunteer. After an informed consent process, the client is invited to share a few background details on their loved one: name, age, last known location. The volunteer then tries to locate the loved one and facilitate a reunion (the mobile app and referral form function similarly).

To date, we’ve reunited 194 loved ones. 82% of delivered messages are positively received by the loved ones, with an average time disconnected of our homeless clients of 20 years.

People experiencing homelessness often describe social isolation as a significant barrier to restoring their dignity after their housing crisis and the trauma and shame they experience can often further isolate them from family and loved ones. Miracle Messages is a critical piece of the solution. By reconnecting people to their loved ones, they can begin to establish social connections that are vitally important to disrupting their homelessness crisis. There is no one solution that will end homelessness in our communities but Kevin’s work at Miracle Messages restores human connection that is vital for healing and helping people move forward.

–Tomiquia Moss, CEO of Hamilton Families

“A lot of us get lost, and just hearing our family's voice can put us back on the right track.”